What materials does the Oku Desk cut and engrave?

It cuts and engraves wood, MDF, plywood, balsa, cardboard, foam board, paper, leather, fabrics, EVA foam, opaque acrylic and bilayer plastic. It also engraves (without cutting) anodised aluminium, mirror, stone, ceramic and stainless steel. It is advisable to run tests, as each batch of material reacts differently to the laser.

Why does the Oku Desk not cut metals?

It is a 455 nm blue diode laser with power equivalent to 20 W of CO2, a hobby/maker range intended for wood, opaque plastics and organic materials. On metals it only allows light engraving (for example anodised aluminium or stainless steel), never cutting.

What is the working area of the Oku Desk?

The usable working area is 475 × 270 mm, with a working height of 50 mm and a precision of ±0.1 mm. It is a compact desktop machine with an anodised aluminium body and a honeycomb base.

Does the Oku Desk work without a computer?

Yes. It is a standalone machine with a built-in control panel and touchscreen: you save the jobs on a USB stick and launch them directly from the machine, with no need for a connected PC.

What software does it use and how are designs prepared?

Designs are prepared in an adapted version of Inkscape (included, for Windows 7 or later and Mac OS X) and transferred to the machine by USB stick. It accepts vector and bitmap images in .svg, .dxf, .pdf, .ai, .png and .jpg formats.

How does the Oku Desk's diode laser differ from the CO2 laser of the Atheon machines?

The Oku Desk uses a blue diode laser, a hobby or semi-professional range for personalised gifts and occasional marking. The Atheon machines are professional CO2 laser machines (40–130 W, areas up to 1,300 × 900 mm) with autofocus, a Z axis and more power and materials, aimed at production and professional use.